Top Crop Manager

News
College graduates ready for biotech jobs

Fanshawe College in London, Ontario, graduated its first class in its four-year biotechnology program on Thursday, with all of its grads either employed or on their way to further their learning at the university level.

June 19, 2009  By London Free Press


June 19, 2009

Kelly Pedro

London, Ontario -A cutting-edge biotechnology program at Fanshawe College that's training a small group of students for the jobs of the future graduated its first class yesterday.

Advertisement


The eight students are all employed or off to university.


One of them, Christina Keller, 21, is going to the University of Calgary, where she was accepted into the master's program in biomedical technology.


"I was blown away," Keller said of when she found out she was accepted to the university.


She's one of eight people to also be nominated for a full scholarship there.

Keller said she chose the applied degree program because it combines lab skills with the kind of theory you get in university.


"I think that's the kind of thing that's going to pay off for me," she said.


The program, which had to be approved by the Ministry of Colleges, Training and Universities, was put together after local businesses, research institutes and scientists determined there was a need because it was going to be a growing sector, said Cheryl Ketola, a professor and co-ordinator of the program.


"Colleges evolve to accommodate what's needed in the community," she said.

Biotechnology a growing sector

Advertisement

Stories continue below